I am writing in response to the July 15 guest essay, "The Facts About What’s Going on at the Downtown Y," by Tommy Fulton. For all its rhetoric about "facts" and "truth," Mr. Fulton’s article is short on both.

Not surprisingly, Mr. Fulton doesn’t inform the readers of the manner by which the "Unknown Deciders" on the Metro Board — and he, their former chairman — concocted and conducted their so-called "strategic plan." He mentions nothing of the fact that — despite protests from two dedicated and honest Metro Board members — these insiders and the Y’s CEO, Mark Hanke, kept the fact that such a move was being considered a secret from the members until the plan was almost complete, when they believed it was too late to stop.

The members were never asked for their opinion except via an online survey sent to the 29 people who "liked" the YMCA of South Alabama on Facebook. The insiders also failed to inform the members that the Chandler Branch is also to be sold as part of the strategic plan.

When the members found out about the proposed move of the Moorer Branch, they tried to compromise and negotiate with the Metro Board and Hanke, but were told (untruthfully, it turns out) that the Metro Board did not have to report to the members of the Y.

Even more incredibly, when the advisory board of the Moorer Branch simply asked for access to the information that Alabama law and the Y’s bylaws provide they are entitled to receive, the insiders on the Metro Board illegally refused to produce this information. This obviously raises concerns as to what might be in those records.

Filing a lawsuit was the last thing the members wanted to do, but it was the only way to make the Metro Board obey the law. And all of this from a Metro Board who — by its own admission — was never elected by the members, as required by the Y’s bylaws.

So please, Mr. Fulton, spare us your sentimental statements about the Metro Board’s concern for the Y and for the members whom you claim to serve. If you and your colleagues have nothing to hide, why have you all refused to comply with state law and the bylaws and open the Y’s books until being forced to do so via a lawsuit?

Furthermore, Mr. Fulton fails to mention that the current leadership is largely responsible for the situation in which the Y now finds itself, by choosing to spend the members’ money pursuing expansion in Baldwin County while letting the Moorer and Chandler branches deteriorate from lack of funding, poor planning and poor marketing.

If membership at Moorer and Chandler has been falling, and if some facilities have gone unused or unmaintained, these are the main reasons.

The devotion of which Mr. Fulton speaks in his article — while admirable — is no substitute for competent leadership.

Now, Mr. Fulton and his colleagues expect the members of the two main Mobile branches to sacrifice in order to correct their bad decisions. No, thank you.

Mr. Fulton also fails to mention that he was appointed to the recently appointed "fig leaf committee" that was named after their widespread corporate mismanagement was revealed by this internal dispute. The so-called "governance committee" was appointed by Ted Bennett, the current chairman of the Metro Board, in order to ensure that the current Metro Board — which, once again, was never elected by the members — will be able to hold onto power by rigging the so-called "election" (to be held Thursday at 5:30 p.m. at the Moorer Branch).

The chairman who appointed the committee, ostensibly charged with making sure the corporation was complying with state law and the nonprofit’s bylaws, is himself illegally serving beyond his term limits, not to mention the fact he was never elected by the membership. And he is naming people to investigate corporate mismanagement?

Just last week, Mr. Fulton’s allies on the Metro Board sent out proxy ballots for this election. These proxies would give Mr. Fulton, as well as two other current Metro Board members, authority to cast a member’s vote for the slate of directors nominated by a committee that was hand-picked by the current illegitimate Metro Board, which is, of course, heavily represented on the ballot.

However, the ballots do not allow members to vote against the proposed directors. It’s either "yes" or "abstain."

The "revolt" by the members, and the Y lawsuit, are not about a building, even though it is one that has been a part of many members’ lives for the past 30 years. Those of us involved are dedicated to seeing that the Y is governed by leaders who actually represent the members of this fine institution and who won’t hide information from the Y’s members.

I hope that those members of the Y who read this will join us in that effort. Show up at Thursday’s election at the Moorer Branch and vote against the proposed slates of directors; or, if you can’t be there, vote to "withhold authority" on your proxy ballots.

With your help, we can preserve this venerable institution.

Jonathan B. Friedlander is attorney for the members of the YMCA of South Alabama. Send submissions to "Your Word," P.O. Box 2488, Mobile, Ala. 36652 or email them to letters@press-register.com.